The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a director with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) over tax fraud.
A statement by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said yesterday that the anti-graft agency arrested Abumere Joseph Osagie, the deputy director of the Regional Tax Office in a case of abuse of office and bribery. Uwujaren said the suspect was picked up following a complaint about his attempt to extort N5million from a university proprietor.
“Osagie and one Jamila Ojora had on January 27, 2016 allegedly approached Senator Ahmed Datti, the Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja and gave him a tax assessment of N20million through a letter of intent which he paid.
“However, when he requested for the assessment certificate, they refused to oblige him. Instead, they allegedly demanded for N5million gratification. All pleas fell on deaf ears. Consequently, he petitioned the EFCC and was advised to play along.
“Consequently, marked N5million was delivered to the director through Ojora in a sting operation. Ojora was arrested after she collected the N5m. His confession led to the arrest of Osagie,” he said. The houses of the suspects were searched by EFCC operatives and documents were recovered while investigations continue, he added